A Series of Quick Updates

Let’s see.  Lots to write about again.  First, we were perfect at Moab; we lost every game.  We were, however, possibly the most popular team there the entire weekend.  No way to really measure that effectively, but we did have many people pulling for us.  It might have been because they would have gotten to play against us if we won, but I think they liked our spirit.  No other team got as excited as we did about a block, a long rally, or any good play.  After one fun rally, I chose to call a time out because we were so excited and laughing and winded.  It was great fun!  I am used to winning, but I also know that we all have to start somewhere.  That’s another reason I think we were so well liked.  People saw how young and raw we were, and it might have reminded them of how they were when they started playing. 
    In other news, Tom, head pro Tom at Hidden Valley here, has asked me to proofread his book about working with golf prodigies.  I started tonight.  It’s good, but it does need some editing.  I had higher hopes of starting this past Easter weekend, but we were busy and then we were busy relaxing and enjoying the holiday weekend.
    On Thursday last week, I played match play against one of the high school players, and then it turned into a match against two of them.  I prevailed, but they had a nice charge there at the end and almost got me. 
    Speaking of the golf team, I had one pang of regret on one afternoon that I could tell about.  It went away as quickly as it came, though. 
    I have not heard from D.K. yet.  I plan to e-mail her soon to hopefully give me an idea as soon as possible.  With May coming up, I am going to be extremely busy.  The more time I have to write and research, the better.

10th Excerpt From My Golf Diary

In this excerpt, I write while on an airplane with Belinda to Virginia (and later to New York) to visit Guy.  This was the trip we went up to the top of the World Trade Center the summer right before 9/11.  I discuss how much we feel guilty about being away from our kids, and then I switch quickly to golf.  Not guilty enough, I guess.  I also write about the lessons I had already had with Mike and the things I was learning about and working on including my full swing, my chipping, and my putting.  I even see a comment from June of 2002 about where my putting was at that time. 

7-1-00
We are on an airplane to New York right now.

75th Post! Driving Back to Moab on Memory Lane

4-1-11
    We are on our way to Moab!  James is coming with us.  That is a long story in itself.  We didn’t think he would be able to go due to retreat for his Confirmation.  Then we got a replacement for him after he decided not to go.  The replacement, Chase (last name), said at first that he could go, but then he said he couldn’t.  Then he said he could again, and then he said he couldn’t.  It was just before that we found a substitute retreat for James.  I have to go with him, and that is fine with me, but on the 29th of this month, he and I will go to the Monastery of the High Desert for a one night stay and retreat.  Anyway, it worked out.  I believe in the power of prayer.   
    Danielle got her official temporary driver’s license today, and she is driving from Monticello to Moab as I write.  It was a challenge, but we got it done.  We had to drive all the way back home (from Farmington) to get her certificate of completion for her driver’s ed course, but we all agreed that we didn’t need to do that.  She only needed it to get her permit, which she already had with her, so we are pretty sure it was a wasted trip.  The lady who helped us, Melissa, however, did let us come back to her line after we made it back without getting a new number. She said we had to be back by 10:30.  We didn’t make it, but we got back at 10:45, and she still took us back.  Thank you, Melissa.  Then we went to State Farm to include Danielle on our insurance.  That’s done.  She will get the Steer Clear discount as long as she continues to get good grades and has no accidents and no tickets.  My baby has her driver’s license!  Ack!
    We are all so looking forward to playing in Moab.  B and I were reminiscing as we were driving along.  It’s been fifteen years since we last played in Moab.  Danielle was one year old, and James was three years old.  Danielle cried and cried in the hotel room late that first night.  I took her for a drive outside of Moab since we knew she had to be disturbing the other guests, heading towards Monticello.  It took about twenty minutes or so before she finally konked out. 
    That might happen again tonight.  She was so tired, and she felt so sick last night (with the same cold I have had, the one that includes a stuffy head and painful headaches, especially at night) that it might happen again this evening.  I don’t know if a twenty minute ride will help her this time, though. 
    It took us about four times to finally win at Moab way back then, but once we broke through, we won four or five times in a row.  Ah, good times.  Glory days.
    This is especially fun to go back with our children, to see them learning and playing the game that brought us together.  It’s going to be a special weekend!  More to come later...

Goal Tangent and Mom Was Surprised

Just a quick tangent here, but Bruce wants to shoot a round in the sixties this season, or at some point.  He has yet to shoot even par for eighteen holes, but he has come close.  He’s done it for nine holes before, and he has been under par for nine holes, but not for eighteen yet.  I told him I want to break eighty this season.  That would be fantastic, to have a round in the seventies, something he has already done twice this season.
   
3-27-11
    We are headed back home now.  Danielle is driving.  B is talking to A on the phone in the front passenger seat.  James is playing GameBoy Advanced sitting behind Danielle, and I am behind B.  We are almost to South Fork. 
    It was a great few days there at Mom and Dad’s.  Mom was caught completely by surprise.  We said that the goal was to make her cry, but that’s not hard to do, and, of course, she did.  Mom always puts her emotions right out front where everyone can see them.

And Now for the Birdie Catch-Up

3-24-11

And now for the birdie catch-up.

Hidden Valley-Hole #13-Birdie #2 of 2011 
    I thought I had more birdies already this year, but this is only #2.  I played by myself last Friday, the last day of school before spring break.  Bruce had already played a full eighteen holes since he got out early due to his parent-teacher conferences.  He had played with C.J.  When he finished, I was on #11.  I called him to tell him goodbye and to see how he’d done.  He had played well, but I forget what he said.  I continued on by myself.  On #12, I earned a par by getting up and down from the left side of the green.  On the birdie hole, #13, I took my driver to go over the wash, but I failed.  My drive came out low, and my ball dove in.  I thought it might be on the far side, and it was, but it was still in the wash.  It had found a small island down there, though.  My ball was on a small patch of tall yellow grass.  I chose my pitching wedge, pitched out and ended up just a couple of feet below the hole.  The putt was a formality.  Hooray for my second birdie of this season.

    Bruce, C.J., and I got together with Chris to play a full eighteen holes this past Sunday.  It was Chris’s first time to play since he had ripped his Achille’s.  He was walking pretty well, though.  We decided on match play, Bruce and C.J. vs. Chris and me.